Oh my God, I think I am finally crossing over

[KenTankerous]

As a lifelong Kentucky fan, this whole Duke thing has been pretty amazing - I fell in love with a Duke girl and fulfilled her dream of seeing a game at Cameron which softened my hating heart to all things Duke - well, all things except that which shall not be named but is a funny commercial this year and Subway's best play ever. But with the decline of Kentucky, watching Duke (without cussing) has actually brought joy back to my March.

But today, after the ACC final, I crossed a bridge, took the fork in the road, drank the kool-aid - I bought an ACC Champions Duke shirt. And I'm going to wear it, in public, in Louisville, KY.

Rupp have mercy...

[DukeCO2009]

Welcome, brother, from The Dark Side.

[Indoor66]

Your days will be brighter and your fortunes will be bountiful. Welcome.

[Cameron]

Congratulations, Ken.

Coming from a Kentucky fan, this made my night You won't regret it, either. Following and cheering on Duke University and the absolute class and greatness it resonates has been a tremendous ride over the years, one that has brought me undeniable pride and happiness.

We Are Duke.

Say that out loud a few times during a great Duke run in March, when the triples are falling like rain, while looking at Coach Krzyzewski slap the floor with intensity, and you'll know. You'll know.

We Are Duke

[ChemGod]

Welcome, brother, from The Dark Side.

...we have cookies!

[roywhite]

Glad to hear it, Ken. We accept all manner of prior sinners.

Life can be good.

[-jk]

Rupp have mercy...

I'm sure he will. He came this close to coaching Duke, too.

Welcome!

-jk

[throatybeard]

Ken, I've always liked your posts, and to a lesser degree, let me return the favor.

A number of years ago, when the board was on the old software, I started a thread "what opponent's program do you closetly like?" I think this was in response to the regular appearance of UNC fan ClosetHurleyFan. So it had to be not just some other program, but a program Duke fans aren't "supposed" to like.

My own answer was UK. Everyone who knows me how much I love the mountains and how I've adopted WVU as the main team I like that I don't have a direct connection to. I mentioned that and how I like Kentucky's mountains too, and the bluegrass area, and Lexington is a lovely town downtown, and I love Covington/Newport. And they wear dark blue just like us. And, at least at the time I said this, they were 3-pointaholics like us. (Rich Eisen once called Duke "the Mustang Ranch of trey whores").

If Kentucky didn't dislike us, I would totally like them.

[Dr. Tina]

Welcome, I'm happy your Duke gal has slowly, but surely, converted you to the Duke side!

[RelativeWays]

Well done, you've taken your first step into a bold new world.

[DukieInKansas]

As a lifelong Kentucky fan, this whole Duke thing has been pretty amazing - I fell in love with a Duke girl and fulfilled her dream of seeing a game at Cameron which softened my hating heart to all things Duke - well, all things except that which shall not be named but is a funny commercial this year and Subway's best play ever. But with the decline of Kentucky, watching Duke (without cussing) has actually brought joy back to my March.

But today, after the ACC final, I crossed a bridge, took the fork in the road, drank the kool-aid - I bought an ACC Champions Duke shirt. And I'm going to wear it, in public, in Louisville, KY.

Rupp have mercy...

Congratulations on a brave step. If anyone gives you a hard time, let me know. I'll gather the Shinkickers of the LTE and we will come kick some shins for you.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

If Kentucky didn't dislike us, I would totally like them.

Said exactly right, IMO. I grew up cheering for Kentucky if they weren't playing Duke and naively assumed that sharing the Greatest Game in History had created a mutual respect. (With K's going out of his way to speak directly to the UK faithful and console/praise them after '92 being Exhibit A). It wasn't until I got on the internet in the late 1990s that I discovered that the connection I felt was emphatically NOT returned. The 2002 debacle where UK fans converged en masse to hurl overwhelming bile at us even as we were playing against a UK rival really stung, and a lot of the things we hear these days confirm that there's not a lot of interest in any sort of dark blue mutual admiration society.

For that reason, it's been great to have you, Ken, here to talk hoops and I'm very happy that you've found some things to like in the Duke brand. UK has a lot of great history and, I hope, a bright future as well. As Throaty said, I'd love to count UK as a team to cheer for if they just didn't hate us so much. Here's hoping that your good decision portends a better relationship for the Dark Blues going forward.

[-jk]

Ken, I've always liked your posts, and to a lesser degree, let me return the favor.

A number of years ago, when the board was on the old software, I started a thread "what opponent's program do you closetly like?" I think this was in response to the regular appearance of UNC fan ClosetHurleyFan. So it had to be not just some other program, but a program Duke fans aren't "supposed" to like.

My own answer was UK. Everyone who knows me how much I love the mountains and how I've adopted WVU as the main team I like that I don't have a direct connection to. I mentioned that and how I like Kentucky's mountains too, and the bluegrass area, and Lexington is a lovely town downtown, and I love Covington/Newport. And they wear dark blue just like us. And, at least at the time I said this, they were 3-pointaholics like us. (Rich Eisen once called Duke "the Mustang Ranch of trey whores").

If Kentucky didn't dislike us, I would totally like them.

Would this be an opportune time to point out that the board's namesake and lifelong Dukie, Elizabeth King, was recognized as a Kentucky Colonel for meritorious service towards the UK basketball team?

Really and truly. I've seen the letter.

-jk

[KrazyKfan]

No offense, but I hate NC state fans and Kentucky fans for similar reasons.

State because they weren't happy being an upper tier ACC program during Duke's dominant run in the ACC (99-06), and Kentucky because they weren't content on being a Final Four contender that didn't win it all for a couple of years under a black guy.

We better look out for Tubby Smith and those Gophers in the second round.

[moonpie23]

welcome brother....as a former gamecock, i know the road to redemption is filled with demons...

[RelativeWays]

What's sad about the whole UK hatred of Duke is these fools don't seem to realize they already got revenge on Duke in 98. No, it wasn't a last second shot but they came back from a 17 point deficit to beat Duke in the regional finals and later to win the Championship. I don't know what they're still mad at, they got payback. UK fans, its time to make like a pole vaulter and get over it. Its over, has been for years.

[bulldog44]

Awesome, welcome to the Duke family. Be careful though, my dad was on the tobacco market in KY and had more than one rear windshield damaged as a result of having a Duke sticker on his car.

[burnspbesq]

A few seasons ago the Duke women's team played in a holiday tournament in San Diego, and I drove down for their first game. When they came out to start warming up, there was loud applause from the few hundred or so Duke fans, and polite applause from everyone else - except for a small group upstairs, made up primarily of high-school-age girls, who booed vociferously until the game got out of reach (Duke killed St. John's).

Turned out it was a girls' high school team from Kentucky, in town to play in the high school tournament that runs alongside the college tournament.

Now this was at the end of 2006, so the oldest players on that team were most likely born in 1989 or so. Which means they wouldn't have been potty-trained yet when Laettner hit the shot. Yet somehow they had been indoctrinated into believing that all things Duke were evil incarnate.

In any event, welcome, friend.

[Lavabe]

Ken,
Perhaps we need to have a watch party/get-together here in Bluegrass Country.

I wear my Duke sweatshirt all over town. No problems, yet. Then again, I have a dog with me, and she likes to bite shins.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[ArkieDukie]

Welcome, Ken! As another of the LTE ShinKickers, I join DukieInKansas in covering for you if you catch trouble.